


Firsts

by endearinglybedraggled



Category: Arctic Monkeys
Genre: AU, Best Friends, First Kiss, Growing Up, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Teenagers, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-20 23:43:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10673211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endearinglybedraggled/pseuds/endearinglybedraggled
Summary: “Look, do you want to,” he coughed and ran a hand through his hair shyly, “practice or something? You know, with… with me?”Matt hasn't kissed anyone before and Alex is just trying to be a good mate.





	Firsts

They’d both always been quite shy lads.

When you got to know them they both had all the chat, true, but really they were a bit too awkward and a bit too weird around new people, and especially girls. Perhaps it was inevitable that their firsts would always be with each other.

Originally, it was just little things that all lads do with their best mates; first drinks at thirteen - some beers bought for them by a slightly dodgy friend of a friend and a couple of swigs of Matt’s dad’s whiskey nicked out the cabinet in the front room. Their first time getting properly drunk together at the aforementioned slightly dodgy friend of a friend’s even dodgier house party at fifteen, because they were too scared to do it that time at Matt’s house and too embarrassed not to do it in front of the older lads from school. They had their first experience with drugs together too, not long after the party, sharing a spliff that had been nervously bought off a lad in the year above and even more nervously lit up and passed between them with neither really inhaling and neither really enjoying, the smoke burning and choking them more than anything and light headedness being the only real effect. 

The more important firsts came after they had had more practice at drinking and had very nearly mastered the smoking, with cigarettes for Al and weed for Matt although both dabbled in the other when they were together. 

It was one of many hazy afternoons spent sat in Matt’s slightly smokey room, with its magnolia walls that Matt had attempted to liven up with posters of rappers and footballers he liked. They were sat passing a bottle of vodka that Al had somehow managed to con a newsagent into selling him between them and talking about how they were going to start a band someday and how even if that band never played to anyone outside of their, admittedly small, group of friends, that wouldn’t matter because they’d be doing it together and in the way that they wanted and that had to count for something.

Alex was halfway through one particularly wistful sentence about starting to write some songs in a notebook and how they might relate to some other kids out there some day in the way that The Strokes had spoken to him that Matt cut him off. 

“Have you, er, have you… kissed any one, Al?”

Alex wanted to make a quip about the fact that Matt had cut him off mid-flow but Matt looked so nervous, chewing on his lip, and so sincere that he couldn’t do it. 

“Not, like, not properly, if that’s what you mean. If I had I would’ve told you wouldn’t I? You’re me best mate, you wanker.” He laughed nervously at the end in a weak attempt to lighten the mood but the atmosphere had settled pretty definitely on tense with a hint of awkwardness. 

“Have you?” Alex returned, somewhat reluctantly sensing already that this was going to lead to more awkward questions. 

“Well… no. I mean, I was going to ask you for like, tips or summat or like, advice… but I guess that doesn’t really…” he trailed off looking a bit defeated.

Alex sighed and rolled his eyes a bit. Trust Matt to get so worked up about something that most people just took as a normal part of life or whatever. It’s not even like first kisses are a big deal, they’re just practicing for when you’re with the people you really care about later on and you’re always going to cringe a bit when you think about them. 

“Matt, calm down. It’s not a big deal, nothing to worry about like…. Look, do you want to,” he coughed and ran a hand through his hair shyly, “practice or something? You know, with… with me?”

Matt’s head shot up and he looked at Alex with wide eyes. Scared was definitely the overriding emotion but there was something else there too… gratitude.

Matt moved his head the tiniest amount but it was enough.

Clearly, Alex decided, he was going to have to make the first move. He reached up a hand and hesitantly but gently place it under Matt’s chin. Matt was still staring at him with those slightly ridiculous eyes, flicking quickly between Al’s eyes and his lips. He didn't make any effort to move towards Alex though. Alex licked his lips in a way that he hoped made him seem more confident than he was, steeled himself a little and moved in quickly. He pressed his lips shyly but firmly on Matt’s.

Neither moved for a moment, somewhat shocked into stillness and all too aware of the awkwardness that your best friend staring back at you from such a close angle created.

Then, someone’s eyes flickered closed, a hand stroked up a side and one ran their knuckles gently over a jaw. Their lips remained still. Just touching. Alex felt himself begin to smile slightly. This was going to be okay, it was Matt after all. They’d always be okay. Alex drew back to reassess their situation.

“Matt, you’re going to have to do some of the work as well, mate. This is for your benefit after all.” Alex’s small smirk showed he was teasing rather than annoyed and Matt let out a short breath of laughter. 

“Right. Sorry. Just, um, took me by surprise.” 

“Well, fair warning and that…”

Alex’s eyes flicked to Matt’s mouth once more.

“What do you… oh.”

Matt looked at Alex, flicked his eyes down to his lips, smiled a tiny smile, and moved his head in that almost unnoticeable way once more. That was all it took.

The two boys moved towards each other almost simultaneously, each spurred on by the trust given to them by the other and their lips met, properly this time, if still nervously, with their crossed legs starting to go numb underneath them against the thin carpet of Matt’s room, knees knocking against each other and necks straining slightly to reach but bodies loosened by alcohol.

The kiss was far from perfect; messy, too gentle and too hard all at once, nerves and enthusiasm coming together with colliding teeth and wet lips.

Not at all unpleasant though, Alex couldn't help but feel. 

Maybe, he thought as he drew back, eyes still closed, first kisses could be a big deal.

After all, this was Matt and he would always be important to Alex no matter what role he was playing in his life. Maybe Matt wasn’t someone just to practice on. He was the person to practice with, yeah, for now, but, Alex thought to himself, he was also possibly the person to practice _for_. 


End file.
